Mary Allen
Steppe lemmings are also called Mongolian lemmings because they live in the steppes of Mongolia.
Characteristics
What do steppe lemmings look like?
Steppe lemmings are rodents. Within this group of animals, however, they are much more closely related to voles than to their namesakes, the slightly larger mountain lemmings, and forest lemmings. Steppe lemmings are eight to twelve centimeters long from head to bottom.
Her thickly hairy tail measures a maximum of two centimeters. The females are larger than the males. The back of the steppe lemmings is light gray in color and the abdomen is almost white.
You can easily recognize them by the typical black line on their backs, which extends from their heads to their buttocks. Such a line is also called the “eel line”. The ears of the small rodents are small, the eyes are quite large. The fur of the steppe lemmings has a thin layer of fat, making it waterproof and retaining body heat well.
Where do steppe lemmings live?
Steppe lemmings are native to eastern Europe and Asia. They are found from Ukraine to western Mongolia and Sinkiang Province in northwestern China. Until about 10,000 years ago, they also lived much further west to Great Britain. But they are long gone there. Steppe lemmings, as their name suggests, inhabit mainly steppes and semi-deserts. Sometimes, however, they also venture into grazing and cultivated land.
What types of steppe lemmings are there?
In addition to the steppe lemming, there is also the yellow lemming and the mugwort steppe lemming.
How old do steppe lemmings get?
Steppe lemmings don’t get old: both in the wild and in captivity, they rarely live more than 20 months, i.e. not even two years old.
Behave
How do steppe lemmings live?
Steppe lemmings are sociable animals, they live in large colonies.
They dig widely branched subterranean passages and buildings in which they live protected from enemies and also give birth to and raise their young. These burrows can be up to 90 centimeters deep below the surface of the earth.
In some places, the steppe lemmings widen the tunnels into spherical nest chambers, which they pad with dry grass. There they are also protected from the winter cold. Steppe lemmings are mainly active at night but are also active for about two to four hours a day.
They are very curious animals and will investigate anything they find. Because they are dwellers in the flat steppes, they are very poor at judging heights, so captive animals sometimes fall when exploring their surroundings.
As with their namesakes, the mountain and forest lemmings, the numbers of steppe lemmings can also vary greatly: If the living conditions are good and there is plenty of food, they reproduce so profusely that many steppe lemmings eventually have to look for a new habitat.
Then there are the typical mass migrations. However, it is a fairy tale that steppe lemmings or other lemmings throw themselves into rivers or the sea during these migrations and drown in their hundreds or thousands.
Friends and foes of the steppe lemming
Many small predators and birds of prey on steppe lemmings.
How do steppe lemmings reproduce?
The steppe lemmings reproduce from about April to October. After a gestation period of only 20 days, the females give birth to between three and seven young. They are tiny and weigh just one gram.
But they grow up very quickly: after about ten to thirteen days they eat solid food, and after four to six weeks the young steppe lemmings are adult and sexually mature. Steppe lemming females can have cubs several times a year. It is believed that a female steppe lemming gives birth to five cubs each year.
Care
What do steppe lemmings eat?
Steppe lemmings are vegetarians: they mainly nibble on grasses and herbs as well as tubers and bulbs of steppe plants. They particularly like wormwood, a bitter-tasting plant. Sometimes they also eat grain and seeds. Because steppe lemmings live in a region with cold, long winters and do not hibernate, they also store food supplies in their burrows for this time: These consist of grain, seeds, and dried plants.
Keeping steppe lemmings
If you take a steppe lemming in your hand, it often tries to pinch you: The animals do not do this to defend themselves, but because they are curious and first examine everything to see if it tastes good and if there is something to eat is.
They stop pinching after a few minutes, and they never actually hurt a human. If steppe lemmings are kept in captivity from an early age, they adapt well to humans and become really tame. They even climb onto your hand if you stay calm and don’t move too fast.
For two to three lemmings you need an enclosure with a floor area of about 40 x 80 centimeters. Glass terrariums are best suited because steppe lemmings love to dig and in a cage would throw all the litter outside through the grating. Because steppe lemmings move a lot, they absolutely need the largest possible running wheel in which they can let off steam. They also like empty egg cartons, toilet rolls, a wooden house, or clay pipes to hide.
Care plan for steppe lemmings
Captive steppe lemmings are fed a mixture of birdseed, oatmeal, hay, and straw. From time to time they also get fresh herbs and vegetables. They are not allowed to eat fruit because it contains too much sugar and steppe lemmings cannot tolerate it: If they eat sugar, they will get sick and die very quickly.